#bitty colony

[stillheresanctuary]

A Colony In Need

Continuing the #bitty colony rp with @secret-art-bastard. Original reblog chain was getting long and unwieldy, decided to continue from a fresh text post rather than continue with the original ask as a header.

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Patrick snorted, holding his helmet in both hands and looking at the visor as if he expected it to be broken somehow. “Ha. No, I’m not like that. Soul types indicate the kind of person you are, where your strengths are and the like. Only humans have souls with colours, monsters are made of magic and hope. Or, something like that.” He turned back to Cell, pointing at his oddly coloured eye. “I’m all full of magic, so mine shows here. Blue and purple. I forget what it means, specifically. But it’s really all just indicative of how you’ll interact with others and how your personality will shape. My boss has a theory that younger humans only have one, but older ones tend to have two because of how humans develop. Something about a core and then a grown attitude. Being easily attached, wanting to help others… sounds like justice maybe? Which I think is yellow, but it’s rude to look at a humans soul. I think. My boss doesn’t like looking, anyway.” Scythe grinned widely leaning in closer. “Soft bones? Must be cuddly, buddily fuddily muddily. Special how special who? Not a fun word to play with but at least it’s not chess. Must be brown and sticky if he sticks, with his touch taste, sight smell, hearing feeling. Sticks beat but staffs walk, so are you sure he’s not just staffy?” Guard leaned in, and placed his hand on Scythes skull over his hood. The Sansy blinked twice, before noticeably focusing a bit more.

"Oh, is your boss a Monster then?"

Cell visibly perked up at the thought, curiosity roused at the indication of that magic-laced eye as well as the idea of a medical professional with experience helping non-human patients. It was one thing for Bitties to show certain talents and be able to be trained in honing them, like Halim, and another thing entirely to have access to hundreds of years of medical science and the willingness to use it for the good of all. Maybe they could talk to Patrick's boss and see about possibly getting some copies of some lesson plans or text books, Halim would be over the moon-!

"Wait, no, don't answer that, I'll get sidetracked and want to ask too many questions and we'll be too distracted to notice if Van and the others end up needed a hand."

They gave a small laugh, shaking their head as they gave Patrick a wan little smile.

"Sorry, that probably sounded really weird, huh."

If Van cared about the verging-on-too-close proximity, he gave no sign, a bit too busy observing the street and sidewalk and waiting for a good opening for them to be able to hop down and bolt for safety. He could see Cell was at the driver's side door of the car, so the doors were probably all unlocked, they'd have their pick of entrance points...

"Hmm? Oh, Sunny's Special Because He Wasn't Manufactured To Spec And No One Noticed Due To The Narcolepsy. His First Owner Found Out The Hard Way And There Weren't Really Any Resources At The Time, So They Dumped Him When They Realized He Wasn't Like How They Wanted."

A slight shift in weight, the Papy hybrid squinting downwards to double check and make sure there weren't any strangers hovering around.

"I Was Already Stray At The Time, And He Needed Help... He's Really Come Into His Own Since We Haven't Had To Scramble So Much To Survive. It's Safe For Him To Sleep Again."

[stillheresanctuary]

Well, I don't usually get a good look at them- they tend to see me and then Spaghetti comes running out and they all go in, aside from the bite incident. But they all usually seem a bit washed out. There was a huge thunderstorm last night though so they probably got quite a bit of fresh water. I bought them more food on my way back home and they seem to eagerly take it even though they don't trust me. All their eyes seem almost black so I can only assume these guys are on their last legs.

Eurgh, this one seems to be getting worse and worse...

Okay, lemme get my stuff together, Van and I are heading over. Watch for an old black Subaru with a silver roof, okay?

Don’t feel obligated to respond as a roleplay or anything, the scenario is just getting to a point where I feel the need to actually write a scene.

- - -

It really wasn’t the best part of town, just like Patrick had said. Not the worst part of town, thank goodness, but definitely one of those neighborhoods where you really didn’t want to linger if you didn’t absolutely have to.

The old 94 Subaru Loyale had definitely seen some wear, the black paint a hammer matter finish to hide the majority of the bumps and scrapes it had endured over the years with the whole of its roof sprayed shiny silver under its disused ski rack. The vehicle parallel parked in front of a run down looking laundromat a short ways from where Patrick had mentioned the bitty colony seemed to be centralized, and after a couple moments, the somewhat gravely noise of its engine went quiet. Movement could be seen through the front windshield, a person in a red and blue plaid sweatshirt talking to someone not visible, before the passenger side door was pushed open.

“-HAS GOT IT FROM HERE.”

“I trust you, Van, but be careful, okay? Your head starts to hurt, you stop, got it?”

“YES, YES, I UNDERSTAND.”

The door was nudged open a bit further, and there was a quiet thump as a small weight hopped down onto the sidewalk. A Papy type bitty, a little taller than most but otherwise apparently of Tale standard, came walking out from behind the open door, a look of concentration on his features as he levitated a small backpack out with him. Well, small for a human, to the bitty it was roughly equivalent in size to an SUV. Still, he managed it well and after a little fumbling to make sure the car door was closed properly, he started down the sidewalk in the direction of the colony, the backpack floating close behind him as he jogged the distance.

Van knew it was quite dangerous for a bitty to be out and about on their own, and couldn’t help feeling nervous about this whole venture, despite having volunteered upon being told the whole story. He idly felt under his sweater, feeling the hard edge of the keyfob tucked into his ribs. It was basically a panic button, all he had to do was push and the fob would start making a high pitched shrieking noise and Cell would come running in an instant ready for trouble.

Hopefully, he wouldn’t have to resort to such measures, but it helped having a back up plan.

Finally, Van sensed a low level magic aura as well as a human SOUL and jogged around the last corner to find who he hoped was the human Patrick talking quietly to a Papy bitty he figured was probably Spaghetti. The human’s artwork had done a good job getting the rough idea of the bitty’s condition through, but it was another thing entirely to see for real just how dirty and worn out the Papy type really was.

“HELLO! I AM VAN THE TENACIOUS! ARE YOU THE HUMAN PATRICK?”

[stillheresanctuary]

ok so they're pretty dirty looking and their clothes aren't too clean either. they seem nervous and scared and a few of them look a little beat. what really worries me more than anything is that they seem to go in pairs a lot but theres one thats super rough looking and doesn't have a pair. this isn't an affluent area. but there are a lot of kids about. and from what i know, no pet shop within a good distance. should i go say hi? or will they be ok and im worrying too much.

From the sounds of it, they might be in need of some help but I highly doubt they’re in a good place to trust a human, no matter how well meaning. It’s always a toss up with wild and stray bitties, a lot of them have had their trust broken and there’s that whole says about once bitten, twice shy that applies really well to an abandoned bitty’s mentality.

If they don’t immediately try to hide or scatter upon approach, do try to introduce yourself. Keep a good distance so they don’t feel crowded or penned in, and make sure to stay as calm and quiet as you can. The main thing is to establish to them that you are not a threat and you will not be bringing them harm. Tell them that you noticed them around, and tell them that you’re worried about their welfare since their location doesn’t seem very safe.

If any of them respond to you, try to find out if they have a name or at least their bitty type, but don’t push. They’re likely going to be anxious and unsettled and will get more nervous if you get pushy. If you get no response, that’s okay, they don’t have to speak to hear you. Try returning periodically over a period of a couple days at roughly similar times so they get a little more used to you, and if they seem receptive to it, bring along small items like bits of cloth for clothing or nonperishable snacks like mini boxes of raisins. Don’t try to hand them over, just leave them in a spot where its safe for the bitties to get to the items on their own time.

For the odd one out, see if you can get a better look and determine whether they might be injured or if they are a type of bitty that inherently looks a little more rough and tough. Brassberries have their type specific head injury that never heals, but there’s also Beast and Tomb types whose gruesome appearance is natural to them, so figuring out if their looks are a cosmetic thing or an actual injury will really help determine how to respond. And sometimes really unpleasant looking injuries are actually long healed and the bitty in question is at most mildly inconvenienced rather than hurt.

My Edgy Ed is a good example of this, since his leg suffered a really bad break long before he came into my care. Even though he limps and the injury still looks really nasty, it’s fully healed and doesn’t even cause him pain beyond a mild ache when the weather’s bad.

[stillheresanctuary]

So, asking for a friend, if I found like. 15 bitties in a sorta colony in my local park what should I do? And theoretically there are feral cats and foxes about.

Hoooo boy, this’s a doozy.

So, there’s a few different ways to approach this, and it depends pretty heavily on how well established the group actually is. Bitties are pretty darn capable when they put their minds to it, and they’re not as defenseless as their small sizes would lead you to think. Most cases that come through the sanctuary are due to extenuating circumstances or their caretakers taking advantage of their trust, though there are a number of things that are more difficult for a bitty than a full grown human just due to the size difference.

Anyway, if this is -as you described- an established colony group, then the bitties are actually probably pretty well off. They’ll have formed a working group structure to best support themselves concerning their combined abilities and needs and are probably mostly self-sufficient with some exceptions for things like illness and predators, though, believe it or not, bitties are fairly low on the priority chain of prey due to their magic rather than matter based nature. Animals in general tend to shy away from magical sources, it’s why you always hear stories of cat and dogs barking at nothing or getting antsy around specific people or objects, they can sense the magical leftovers that humans aren’t capable of feeling as acutely.If the bitties are at this stage of establishment, the best thing to do is to leave them be and maybe wander by to check on them occasionally to make sure everything is okay and they aren’t being bothered. The biggest danger to bitties in situations like this is actually abduction by morally questionable humans looking to make a quick buck. Or something more sinister.

If the group seemed disorganized or sluggish, struggling to figure out what to do or where to go, they might not have had the time needed to properly figure themselves out as a collective. This can be a very harrowing time for a group of stray bitties, since no one will really know what to do or who to follow, and in fighting can occur between hotter heads. If you noticed visible signs of distress - dim eyelights, skittish behavior, dirty or gray bones - then it would probably be a good idea to introduce yourself, ask if the bitties are okay and if they might like some help either finding a safer spot to hide out or getting supplies they might be having a hard time finding. Things like bandannas, socks and t-shirts make amazing bedding material as well as being a lot easier for a bitty to break down into clothing, so it’s a good start if they don’t know what they need.Worst comes to worst, take note of the different recognizable types and see if you can find or contact the original shop owners for advice on helping out the bitties in question, and go ahead and contact a professional to help extract them from the situation if it’s bad enough.

Immediate intervention is needed if there are bitties in the group who appear injured or if some of them seem overly aggressive. Obviously, injuries will need treatment and care, but the aggression is usually a sign of high stress and protective instinct and could be an indicator of hidden injuries, illness, or even pregnancy. This is a delicate situation and should be handled with care. If you can, talk to the bitties, introduce yourself and tell them you’re worried about them and their situation. Offer to call a rescue crew, like those of us here at the Sanctuary or shop owners who also help with rescue efforts, like @vex-bittys, and we’ll get on the scene as soon as possible to mitigate the situation.

Your primary concern as a non-professional is to determine the well being of the bitties and establish communication if necessary. Beyond that, please leave it to those of us with more resources and training so you don’t get yourself or the bitties hurt on accident.

[stillheresanctuary]

so idk if u got my last message but i was talking to Spaghetti before i went to work this morning and i popped my neck and 'Meatball' came rushing out and bit the shit out of me. His teeth are blunt so it didn't hurt any more than someone slapping you around the face because they thought 'nurse' was synonymous with woman and was therefore mislead on your gender but he seemed very surprised to see Spaghetti a good metre's distance from me. I don't think that's a good sign.

Oof, protective bro attack.

Believe it or not, I was kind of waiting for a reaction like this when you mentioned that Spaghetti was the only one really talking to you. Papy types, especially the Tale versions, tend towards being a lot more trusting and can get themselves into a lot of trouble, as they believe whole heartedly that there is good in everyone and everyone can be good if they just try. It’s truly admirable and makes Papys some of the most desirable bitties out there, but in contrast, this outlook prompts some pretty strong paranoia and protective behavior in their counterparts, the Sansy type.

Considering their not-so-great situation, I’ll bet Meatball was trying to give his bro the benefit of the doubt by not watching but listening intently to what was going on, and the sound of you popping your neck probably sounded to him like his brother being hurt. Lacking information and hyper vigilant protective instinct smashes and- Well. You felt the after effects of that.

I’m more surprised that Meatball went through the effort to actually bite you, Sansy types are fast but they usually prefer to use magic attacks rather than physical attacks when facing a hostile opponent. And he came running at you, no shortcutting?He may be suffering from magic depletion, which really is not a good sign with Sansy types. Magic depletion is a result of malnutrition and can be a red flag to look out for starvation symptoms. Do his bones looks grayer that the others, or maybe a bit thinner in appearance? Are his eyelights bright white or are they sort of dim and faded? Either way, I’m going to bring some magic food with Van, it’ll help with Leeks damaged eye socket and give a boost to the rest of the group as well.

[stillheresanctuary]

you might want to do something quick to that bitty colony. in my town, they call pest control and exterminate the bitties. i'll save you the gritty details, but the colony is gone and neutralized

Unfortunately, I already know the details. Well, not the full nitty gritty, but both Ed and Van have mentioned incidents they’ve witnessed or narrowly avoided. That, and it’s not hard to imagine the cruelty humanity can commit.

My hope is that when I arrive with Van, I’ll be able to take the time while Van is helping heal Leeks to contact the proper authorities and inform them that the situation is already being taken care of. I’m officially licensed as a bitty care specialist (the paperwork took LITERAL ages), so my taking preemptive steps should prevent the city/state from taking action. Kind of like finding out you have honey bees swarming and calling in a bee keeper to help rehome them rather than calling an exterminator.

If all else fails, the local authorities should at least inform me of a time frame and their official decision regarding the colony before they do anything, since my being registered as a specialist requires them to consult me as a local expert on the situation. It’s not a fool proof system, I have had a couple instances already where I was informed of things far too late to to anything, but that’s why I’m stepping up now to do what I can.

[stillheresanctuary]

Currently Spaghetti is the only one who will talk to me. He's trusting and is determined to prove to the others I'm not 'A big meanie' (his words not mine) but doesn't want to come close to me. I told him I'm not a leader and we ended up playing 20 questions. He said that he and his brother (who is called Meatball) were the first and they've been 'friend gathering' ever since. Oh, and I should probably tell you who I am. My name's Patrick! I'll see if they're ok for visitors asap!

Nice to meet you properly, Patrick!

From the way you’ve phrased things, I’m going to take a wild guess and say that Spaghetti may be a Papyrus type bitty, maybe an original Tale version but there’s a few different ones that have a similar base personality, so I could be wrong.

Anyway, when you go back to visit, feel free to tell Spaghetti and the others about Van and myself and why you contacted us. The primary goal right now is to establish trust and communication, and hiding information can and will badly muddle things once discovered. If Spaghetti feels uncomfortable about you seeking advice and help from a third party, acknowledge that discomfort and apologize, but remind him that you’re not a hundred percent sure of what you’re doing and you reached out to the Center for help in a situation you weren’t sure how to handle.

For if the visit gets approved, please tell Spaghetti and the others that they are the ones in control of the interaction. Van and I are outsiders and the last thing either of us want to do is scare them or make them feel trapped by the situation, so they get to choose who they meet, where to meet them, and what gets to be discussed and why. Unless explicitly needed, I’ll make sure to stay back out of the situation, and if they’re really uncomfortable, I won’t even leave the car. Their safety and comfort is paramount at this juncture, I don’t want to scare them or cause discomfort by being there. 

[stillheresanctuary]

I managed to get one to talk to me- the rest seemed nervous for him but they did take the food and fabric I left. He says his name is Spaghetti and listed off the others names but he doesn't know their types and neither do I. There are fifteen of them, and the one I'm worried about is called Leeks. He has damage to his right eye that isn't normal, he also apparently lost his brother shortly before they 'came here'. Spaghetti also asked if I would become their 'new boss'. What do I do now??

Oof, this one is gonna be complicated.

Okay, so, unknown types, wary of humans, not well organized, missing or Dusted brother, possibly debilitating injury, seeking leadership. It sounds like there’s going to be some need for intervention, but we’re going to have to work up to that since they aren’t all that comfortable talking to a larger being.

At this point, probably the best course of action is to one, tell Spaghetti that no, you’re not looking to be their boss but you are worried about them and want to help, then two, maintain your contact and work to gain their trust so that you can ask them more questions. It’s not going to be easy or fast, and you’re going to have to be patient with both yourself and the bitties, but it’s better to take things slow and consistent rather than risk established connection for a possibly quicker result.

I’ll talk to Van and Ed, they’re going to have more experience with fellow strays and Van is actually a pretty darn good healer when push comes to shove. He’ll tire quickly and he’s not all that precise about it, but if you can get the bitty colony to agree to a visitor, I’ll come by with Van and we’ll see if we can’t treat Leeks damaged eye.